Announcement: There is action on my new novels. The publisher renamed the series--they are still working on the name. I provided suggestions as did one of my prepub readers. Now the individual books will be given single names: Leora, Leila, Russia, Lumiere', China, Sveta, and Klava--at least these are some of the suggestions. They are also working on a single theme for the covers. I'll keep you updated.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.
The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
I'm not giving this series up quite yet. I'll review some of what I've already described and tie it together.
As I noted before, the theme statement must include a science fiction motif, otherwise, why write the story or novel as science fiction. The theme statement must have an protagonist, should have an antagonist, could have a protagonist's helper, needs a science fiction setting, and must have an action that draws it together. The action can be science fiction based. Thus a simple theme statement might be "a space cadet discovers a plot to destroy the world at the international space station." There, we have a science fiction protagonist, an implied antagonist, a science fiction setting, a science fiction action. I don't like destroy the world theme, but there is a science fiction theme example. A non-science fiction theme statement example could be this: a government agent who is mortally wounded and accidentally saved by a vampire girl becomes involved in a supernatural plot in Britain and Ireland. This is a fantasy/suspense theme, but not a science fiction theme. Note, there is no science fiction setting or characters. There is a protagonist's helper that provides a supernatural twist and the action description is supernatural. I provided this as an example because it is close to the theme statement of the latest novel I'm writing.
The trick in writing science fiction is fir science and second a science fiction theme. The next step is to turn that theme statement into a plot.
More tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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